Important Mountain Passes in India | UPSC | Geography

Important Passes in India

o The road betters the previously held record of a road in Bolivia, enroute to Uturuncu volcano.

• It was built by India’s Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under Project Himank.

• Incidentally, the road is at a higher altitude than the North and South Base Camps of Mount Everest.

• This new road now connects important regions and towns in the Chumar sector of eastern Ladakh.

• It offers an alternative direct route for locals between Chisumle and Demchok from Leh.

• It offers an essential connection between Kashmir and Ladakh.

• The Jammu–Srinagar road enters the pass through the Jawahar Tunnel.

• Diphu Pass marks the Western extremity of the China-Myanmar boundary which is disputed by India.

• The snow-covered mountainous trail that used to connect Lhasa in Tibet via the Jelep La Pass to India is an ancient and spectacular one.

• In the old days knowledge was exchanged, art and culture was disseminated and, of course, silk was traded.

• In the 19^th Century, the East India Company came to an understanding with the Chogyal of Sikkim to use the route, mainly for trading/importing tea from China. 

Chumbi Valley

• The Chumbi Valley is the gateway of two major passes — Jelep La and Nathu La.

o The road beyond Jelep La at the India-Bhutan-Tibet trijunction passes through Chumbi Valley.

• It also juts out as an inverted triangle, on the tri-junction of Bhutan, China and India, terminating in close proximity of the Siliguri corridor—the narrow passage that connects the North-East with the rest of India.

• The Chumbi valley in Tibet was also at the heart of the Doklam stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops recently.

• It is an offshoot of the ancient Silk Route.

• It is one of the routes of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

• It is one of the Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.

Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)

• Ceremonial BPMs are generally held on National Days.

• It is seen as an opportunity for each side to showcase its traditions and cultural diversity to the other.

• There are five BPM points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Bum La and Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Daulat Beg Oldi and Chushul in Ladakh, and Nathu La in Sikkim.

Chumbi Valley

• The Chumbi Valley is the gateway of two major passes — Jelep La and Nathu La.

• It also juts out as an inverted triangle, on the tri-junction of Bhutan, China and India, terminating in close proximity of the Siliguri corridor—the narrow passage that connects the North-East with the rest of India.

• Recently, government announced the plan to build a tunnel through the Sela Pass which will ensure faster movement of troops in Tawang, a strategically- located town in Arunachal Pradesh bordering China.

• On completion, Sela Tunnel will be the longest bi-lane road tunnel in the world at an altitude above 13,800 feet.

• The Sutlej River moves into India from Tibet via this pass.

• The bilateral trade through Shipki La pass reopened in 1993 after it was shut due to the Indo-China war in 1962.

• The southern portion of the pass is more desolate than the north.

• There is no icecap or foliage and it is usually without snow because of the breezes.

• The mighty Karakoram Pass (18,900ft) known as the skeleton trail, at India’s northern most borderline, passes through Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO- where the faceoff between China and India took place) to Kashgar.

Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)

• Ceremonial BPMs are generally held on National Days.

• It is seen as an opportunity for each side to showcase its traditions and cultural diversity to the other.

• There are five BPM points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Bum La and Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Daulat Beg Oldi and Chushul in Ladakh, and Nathu La in Sikkim.

• The strategic Atal Tunnel, world’s longest highway tunnel at 10,000 feet, is located below the Rohtang Pass

So, is all-winter connectivity to Ladakh around the corner?

• No, that goal is still some years away. More tunnels will have to be built to tackle the high passes which fall beyond Rohtang.

o  Rohtang connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh.

• While Rohtang Pass is at a height of 13,050 feet, the pass on the road to Leh is Baralacha La at 16,040 feet. A 13.2-km long tunnel would be required to bypass this pass.

• Further down the highway comes Lachung La Pass at 16,800 feet, that will require a 14.78 km-long tunnel to provide all-weather connectivity.

• Thereafter falls the Tanglang La pass at 17,480 feet, which will need a 7.32 km-long tunnel.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

• Pilgrims from India can reach Kailash Mansarovar through three routes — via Nathu La in Sikkim, Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Kathmandu in Nepal.

• The Kailash-Mansarovar road alignment is along the Kali river, which is the boundary between India and Nepal.

• The end point of road is at Lipulekh Pass, a tri-junction of India, China and Nepal.

• To access Kailash through Sikkim, China and India opened the Nathu La border point in 2015.

• Being significant to Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva, it holds religious importance also for the Jains and the Buddhists.

• The Yatra is organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the journey beyond the International Border is overseen by Chinese authorities.

• It is located between the Nilgiri Hills to the north and the Anaimalai Hills to the south.

• It is about 20 miles (32 km) wide and straddles the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border, serving as a major communication route between those two states.

• Palghat Gap also influences southern India’s climate; the wet southwest monsoons as well as storms from the Bay of Bengal cross the mountains through the opening.